Apparatus for heating, evaporating, volatilizing, or distilling liquids by electricity.



T. NGULELLAND, JR. APPARATUS POP. HEATING. EVAPOMMNG, VULAlLlZING, 0R DsTILLING LIQUIDS BY EaBcTnIGITY.

T. EMCLELLAND, JR. APPARATUS POR HEATING mmPonA'l'ms. rggmizfos, ou DsTiLLlNG LIQUIDS BY LBCTilUiTY.

PYLUATIOR: lLlD HGV. 30, 1G12, l y l 2l 43. Patented Dec. 22, w14.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wml/Ar 1 /1 zal y i Z UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

THOMAS MCCLELLAND, JR.. OF CATHCART, NEAR GLASGOW, SCOTLAND.

APPARATUS FUR HEATING, EVAPORATING, VOLATILIZING. OR' DISTILLING LIQUIDS BY ELECTRICITY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

Application filed November 30. 1912. Serial No. 734.301.

T0 all whom t may concern: w

'Be it known that I, Tnoims MCQLEL- LAND. Jr., a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Muirend, Cathca-rt, near Glasgow, Scotland, have invented certain new and useful Apparatus for Heating, Evaporating, Volatilizing, or Distilhng L iquids by Electricity, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus` for heating, evaporating, volatilizing or distilling liquids of the type in )vhich the liquid is in direct contact with carbon (or other equivalent non-metallic resisting material) in the form of pieces, particles, gianiiles or the like, and ,through which a current ot electricity is caused to pass.

Under this invention l use one or more containers which are preferably slotted or otherwise have openings distributed all around same and ma-y be of tubular or other shape and in which the carbon (or other non-'metallic pieces, particles, granules or the like) is placed, packed'. Aor fitted. The containers are wholly or partially immersed inthe liquid and in such manner that the liquid has free access 'from all sides to the cai-hon or other particles therein. The containers (which are of glass or other suitable non-condi'icting material) may be made straight, curved, U, cylindrical or of other convenient formationv and' may be fitted, suspended. supported or otherwise held in place iu the tank or vessel. The carbon granules or pieces are or may be made to contact with and be more or less compressed bv insulated carbon or other pole pieces oi' terminal blocks which latter have the electric wires connected thereto.

In order that the invention may be clearly iuiderstood l have hereunto appended explanatory drawings, which show by way of illustration or example, several modes of carrying out the invention.

0n the drawingsr--Figure 1 is a longitudinal section showing one form of the apparatus. Fig. Q is a vertical section showing another form of the container. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the container shown in Fig. Q, taken on the line X, X. Fig. l is a vertical section showing a second form of the apparatus. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the modified form of the container shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a third form of the Y apparatus. Fig. 7 is a vertical cross section of the same. Fig. 8 is a detail section showing one method of fitting the terminal piece in the end of the container. Fig. 9 shows a modilied Jform of the same.

lhe apparatus shown at Fig. 1 comprises a tank or vessel o having a covervplate b of wood, or other suitable non-conducting material, thereon, with openings therein for the reception of the upper ends of the U- shaped perforated container c made of glass or other suitable non-conducting material. The container c has flanges cl for the connection thereof to the cover plate l) and also has carbon or other pole pieces or terminal blocks e (which may, if situated above the water level, as shown in Fig. 1, be made of metal, but, it' partially immersed, are of carbon, so as to prevent oxidation). The pieces or blocks' e are shown with binding screws f ior the attachment of the leads g, and the blocks e are provided with ianges k so that they may be readily screwed down by means or bolts j, against the granules or the like z' in the container to more or less compress the same and so insure good Contact. The tank' or vessel is preferably provided with any suitable and well known means, such as a ball cock, to allow the liquidto flow thereinto and with any well known means to allow the liquid to be drawn off as required. In operation, the molecules of the liquid in the tank pass through the perforations in the container and between the granules thereby contacting therewith and becoming heated. The heated liquid rises 'and in this manner circulation is set up.

This construction of the device is very suitable where 'a quantity of hot liquid is required from time to time, as in lavatories, etc.

The perforated container. c1 shown at Figs. 2 and-3 is of cylindrical form and has its bottoni c2 madev with perforations or openings similar to those in the sides thereof, and, extending from the top of this container to within a. short distance of the bottom thereof, is a central non-perforated partition plate 7c of insulating material. The pole pieces or terminal blocks e1 are of semicircular section to fit the top of the container on either side of the plate but are in other respects similar to the blocks e shown at Fig. 1. The container c1 isadapted to be immersed, or partially immersed, in any The apparatus shown at Fig. 4 has a cy-v lindrical tank or vessel a1 tted with a liquid inlet pipe Z at the bottom thereof and with an outlet pipe Z1 at the top thereof, andA having a straight and vertically arranged container c2 which is perforated and illed with granules or the like z' as in the case of the containers c and c1 above referred to. The container c2 is fitted with pole pieces or terminal blocks e2 having binding screws f for the attachment of the leads g as at Figs. 1 and 2, such screws being passed through the end of the cylindrical tank or vessel a1. While the liquid -outlet pipe Z1 communicates through the side of the tank a1 with the annular liquid space the inlet pipe Z is` screwed through the bottom of the tank a1 and communicates' with a passage Z2 in the. block e2 so that the liquid is supplied direct to the interior of the container 02. If desired, of course, the liquid may be supplied to such annular liquid space through the pipe Z1 and, may leave the apparatus through the passage Z2 and pipe Z.

In the Vform of container shown at Fig. 5 a perforated and longitudinally split tube c3 is provided with longitudinal langes m through` which bolts m1 are passed in such manner that, on said bolts m1 being tightened and the two parts'being drawn together, the granules or the like i therebetween are forced toward the tube ends and are thereby pressed against the pole pieces or terminal blocks in such manner as to insure a good contact.

In the form of apparatus shown at Figs.

6 and '7 a rectangular tank or container a2 is fitted with a tubular container 02' similar to that shown at Fig. 4 but havingplates n secured on Athe outer surfaces of the tank -ends for retaining the container in place.

Liquid may be supplied to the tank a2 at the top thereof by means of an inlet pipe'Za and can be drawn therefrom, as desired, by

. means of a larger pipe Z4 at the foot thereof and having Aa control valve. A vertical and longitudinal baffle plate o `is-ftted in the tank a2 at one side of the container, so as to cause the liquid, as it is heated, to circulate, the flow of liquid being in the direction of the arrows (Fig. 7).

In the terminal fitting shown at Fig. 8,

the pole piece or block e is fitted into the granules z' and insure a good contact and has screwed thereinto'a binding screw f for the attachment of the lead g. A Washer or plate n (such as shown at Fig. 6) is mounted on the screw "f and is adapted to be tightly screwed against the tank a2 by means of the bolts nl, a packing ring n2 being inserted between such ring and the block e and a ring n3 between the same and the tank so as to prevent the escape of liquid from the tank.

In the fitting shown at Fig. 9 the block e serves to compress the granules z' and acts through a carbon, or other terminal block or pole piece 1 which so projects through a slot or .enlarged opening 11 in the container as to be capable of a slight longitudinal movement as the block c is tightened up by means of its bolts r2. The block or piece r, which extends above the level of the liquid in the tank or container, has the lead g attached thereto and is held in close contact with the granules d in the container.

Having now fully 'describedmy invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. Apparatus for heating liquids by electricity comprising, in combination, a liquid holding vessel, a perforated container fitted within said vessel and so as to be immersed in the liquid, a non-metallic resisting material in the form of carbon, small pieces of carbon packed in the container, terminal blocks in the ends of the container, means for pressing said blocks into the container so as to compress the resisting material end of the container c2 so as to compress the therein'and electrical connections on said blocks.

2.- Apparatus for heating liquids by elec- In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS MCCLELLAND, JR. lVitnesses: H. D. Frrzra'rnrcn, ),'IARGARET FINDLAY YOUNG. 

